>She presented with this purplish mass on her ear - at first I thought
>it was a tick (she was a stray).  Its actually based on the flap of the
>ear.  The vet drained it and said the fluid was all blood cells, but it
>quickly refilled with fluid.  I'm planning on having it removed as soon
>as I clear a surgery day for her.
 
Dear X:
 
I suspect that it is a dermal hemangioma or hemangiosarcoma.  It's not a
common thing.
 
Hemagniosarcomas are low grade malignant tumors of blood vessels which
are usually very hemorrhagic and would give you an aspirate such as you
describe.  These neoplasms, while they can be locally invasive, have no
metastatic potential, and complete surgical excision is generally
curative.
 
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM
[Posted in FML issue 3653]